Crystal: life with the Autobots
by Aurrawings
Summary: When Crystal, a street racer with a troubled past and an abusive father (and brother) runs out one night, an accident lands her in the world of Transformers Prime. Will she return to her old life, or stay with the autobots in another dimension? Abuse reference, possible language/ later relationship, rated for safety
1. Chapter 1

*** cracks knuckles * okay then... new story, first chapter.**

…**...**

~1st person

Ahh...life was good. Well, sorta. Skipping school and cruising around in a car that hadn't cost me a dime certainly seemed good. I, being bored, pulled up to my uncle's garage and repair shop, getting out of my car and tossing my black hair streaked with purple out of my face. My uncle came out, wiping his hands off on a red rag.

"Yo, Crystal, what are you doing here?" he asked. I smiled and shrugged.

"Didn't feel like going to school. Thought I'd come here instead." I said. My uncle, named Robert though everyone called him Buddy, motioned for me to give him a hug.

"Bring it in girl." he said. I laughed and did as he said. He smelled like grease and gasoline and sweat, just like I was used to. He looked past me to my car.

"The pretty girl giving you any problems?" he asked. I disengaged myself from him and shook my head. By 'pretty girl' he meant my ride.

"Nah, she's doing fine." I said, glancing back at my car, a 2012 lavender Toyota Supra. My uncle had bought it wrecked and fixed for me, it was my sweet 16 present. I gave a small smirk and leaned in.

"Can I tell you something? She won last night, smoked them all." I said. My uncle grinned, trying to be serious but failing.

"You know racing is illegal...but that's my girl." my uncle Buddy said.

"I got an invite for tonight, the dried up sluices by the research plant." I said. My uncle gave me a thumbs up, and I waved as I went back to my car.

"Gotta go get ready, gonna make our girl shine!" I said. I glanced thoughtfully at the vinyl decal in my rear window, it was the Autobot insignia. I also had a metal insignia on a chain that was currently stuck down my shirt. The only thing I loved more than racing was Transformers, and I wished with all my heart that I could be with them someday. I drove back to my house, coasting up so my engine made no noise.

I noticed in relief that my father's car wasn't in the driveway...but my older brother's was. Mentally groaning, I just told myself to grab what I needed and leave, no matter what he said or did. I got out, as quietly as I could going in the front door and to my room. I stuffed a few bills in my pocket for a car wash and turned to leave, nearly having a heart attack when I saw my brother standing in the doorway.

"Hey lil sis, what are you doing out of school so early?" he said with a sneer. I glared at him, trying to shove past.

"Move Jeremy." I said sternly. He merely shoved me into my room, knocking me to the floor. In the process, my necklace got pulled out of my shirt and now the insignia was lying on my chest. My brother scoffed.

"Why do you wear that stupid thing? You know Autobots aren't real. As for Decepticons...well, their intentions I think exist. What do you think, sis?" Jeremy said, pulling out his pocket knife and flicking it open. My heart thudded in my chest, and I tried to get up before he pinned me to the ground and jerked up my pant leg to my knee. I thrashed as he placed the blade against my skin.

"No! Let! Me! Go!" I said, twisting with each word. He sneered, digging the tip of the blade deep into my leg and causing me to scream. Desperate, I writhed, got my foot free, and smashed it with all my might right where it counts. Heaving in air, I scrambled out the door and out of my house, leaping in my car and tearing off.

…...

I tried to lose myself in washing my car, but it didn't help, especially since I got a call from my dad in the process. Ignoring it, I turned my phone off and finished washing my car.

…...

Needless to say, I won again later that night, earning me major status and serious bragging rights as a racer, especially since I was a girl...an abused one at that. My mother died when I was little, and my father is an alcoholic. He used to beat both my brother and I, though now Jeremy seems to be on his side, and I get the worst of it. Jeremy is even more cruel, I have multiple scars from him, and my father has scarred me more than I would have thought possible, but his torture is mental. He screams that I am worthless, that I shouldn't even have been born. He denies me any sort of food, so if I'm starving I at least have to show up to school for lunch. Not to brag, I'm a smart kid, but I hate any sympathy, and if I went too much, people would notice the bruises and cuts and would call someone. I also hate ANY doctor's visit, so that was another reason.

I pulled in to my house later, noting with a slight twist in my gut that my dad was home. I reluctantly went inside, trying to quietly go to my room. A dark shadow stepped in front of me when I did. My father.

I ducked my head away from him and looked as submissive as I could. Even from here, I could smell the booze on his breath and knew I was in deep shit.

"Your brother says you skipped school again, you've been racing. He also said you kicked him in his boys for no reason." My dad slurred. I simply opened my mouth to protest when a blinding blow hit me on the side of the head and I staggered back. I knew this was going to be bad, I could only hope to bear it until my dad wore himself out. He approached me, and I backed away instinctively.

"Don't you run from me girl!" He growled. A silent tear tracked from the corner of my eye and my dad punched me hard in the gut. I gasped and hit the floor, curling into a ball as I quietly sobbed. He started kicking me then, his boot-clad foot smashing into my ribs, back, and head over and over. By the time his blows started to lessen, I had trouble breathing and I knew I would have to wear long sleeves and heavy makeup the next day...

I dragged myself to my feet after my dad had had enough, staggering out the door and slumping in the drivers seat of my car. I started it and sprayed gravel as I backed out of the driveway very fast. I drove to a country rode, mostly unused, and floored it. The engine in my durable import roared, as the speedometer climbed steadily.

Driving at high speeds helped me focus, and soon I had relaxed enough that the pain of my injuries was becoming apparent. It actually kept building, the pain, until my senses started fading and I just had time to realize I was passing out and slam on the brakes before darkness swamped me.

…...

When I pried myself off of my steering wheel, I nearly groaned in grief when I saw where I was. My beloved car's hood was crumpled in around a tree I had smashed into. The windshield was cracked, and I noticed there was blood on the top of my steering wheel. Putting a hand to my aching head, I soon found that I had evidently bashed my forehead on the wheel. I sighed, about to rest my head back down when a familiar noise reached my ears. It couldn't be... It was the sound of a ground bridge opening.

I searched quickly for the source, fumbling with the buckle on my seat belt before I got it undone. I located the ground bridge, though I still couldn't believe it. A heavy footstep shook the ground and the next thing I knew, Optimus Prime himself was kneeling next to my car. I'm pretty sure a bug couldv'e crawled down my throat right then if it wanted to, my mouth was hanging open so far. All I managed to stammer out was,

"Y-you're real...?!" Yeah...not my most intelligent comment. Optimus smiled very faintly, which I found odd because he hardly ever smiles.

"As are you." he said. With a second voice, I realized that he had brought Arcee with him.

"Optimus, the insignia on her vehicle..." Arcee trailed off. I started feeling like I was going to pass out again, managing to explain before I did.

"My car...Isn't an Autobot...neither am I... but I'd love to be a part of your cause." I said before felt my eyes roll back and my head loll as I blacked out again.

~Normal POV

"Optimus, the necklace..." Arcee said.

"I know." Optimus responded. "I believe she is in danger, if a Decepticon located her and saw her wearing our insignia, they could kill her on the spot."

"She's obviously injured too."

"Understood... I think it best we take her back to base and keep her under our care. We cannot afford to put even a single human at stake." Optimus said. Arcee nodded, gently extracting the unconscious girl from her car. Optimus contacted Ratchet before they came back through the ground bridge.

"Ratchet, prepare sick-bay." he said. Ratchet called back, concerned.

"Is Arcee injured?" he asked.

"No, a human. It appears that the magnetic fluctuation you detected was exactly in the location that she wrecked her car." Optimus said. Ratchet affirmed.

"Hmph, that's odd. Bring her through, I'll see what I can do." Ratchet said. Arcee carried the girl through the ground bridge, stepping into the base. The human stirred slightly, cracking open her eyes and letting out a groan. Arcee laid her on a table in the med-bay, stepping out of Ratchet's way. The girl's eyes darted around the room, though when she seemed to realize she was in sick-bay, she started struggling.

"N-no...I don't do hospitals..." she wheezed, struggling to sit up. Ratchet glanced at Arcee, then gently pinned the girl to the table. She winced in pain, and he felt bad that he had to do it to her, but nevertheless he injected a sedative into the human female and retracted his hand when she blacked out a few seconds later.

Ratchet ran a thorough scan on her, frowning at his findings.

"Optimus, this is unusual. It appears she had a contusion to her head during the crash and a bruise from her seat belt, but her other injuries took place before then. I'm seeing at least two broken ribs, a cracked collarbone, and she's got countless bruises, as well as a gash in her leg." Ratchet said, looking down at the girl.

"Strange, can you repair her?" Optimus asked. Ratchet shrugged.

"From what I know of human medicine, rest will be her main treatment until her bones mend. I'll have to inquire about her other injuries when she wakes." Ratchet said. Optimus nodded.

"I am curious about her too, old friend. What of that magnetic fluctuation you detected?" Optimus asked, looking over at the terminal in the main hangar. Ratchet glanced down at the girl before returning the terminal.

"It appears as though it's a powerful surge, once about every three hours and lasting about two minutes. As for what's causing it, I'll have to do some research, but it certainly is strange..." Ratchet said, peering closer at the terminal screen. He leaned back, looking over at the girl unconscious in sick-bay again.

"I'm also wondering about that necklace of hers. Where on earth did she find our insignia? And what would prompt her to wear it with so many Decepticons about?" Ratchet said. Optimus agreed.

"It was on her vehicle as well. Autobot she may not be, but it appears we at least have an ally." Optimus said. Ratchet had to hold off a scoff.

"Hardly, she panicked in the med-bay, I had to sedate her. I think she may fear us." Ratchet said. Optimus looked over at the girl as well.

"I doubt it, old friend. I believe she was frightened not by us, but by the fact she was in an accident and was already injured." Optimus reassured. "We shall just have to hear her side of the story when she wakes."

…...

~Crystal's POV

The last thing I remembered was being in my car, and the next thing I know, the Autobots have taken me to their base... I knew all their names, well...they _were_ on T.V... but I thought that's _only_ where they existed. Arcee laid me on a table and I have to admit I panicked a bit at the medical setting. The next thing I remember is waking up with Ratchet and Optimus standing over me. It hurt to breathe, and I assumed my dad had broken a few of my ribs...again. I sat up with a grimace, even though Ratchet tried to dissuade me.

"I'll be fine, Ratchet." I said absently. Both bots recoiled.

"How do you know my name?" Ratchet said. I looked at him, confused, before I got a hunch.

"Uh..why wouldn't I? You guys are on T.V all the time." I said, curious for their reaction. Optimus looked at Ratchet, frowning, before looking at me.

"You mean to say our security has been compromised?" Optimus said. I shook my head.

"I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore..." I muttered. Ratchet answered.

"No, you're in Jasper, Nevada." he remarked. I shook my head again.

"It's an expression. I meant, I don't even think I'm in the right _dimension_." I said. Ratchet scoffed.

"How is that possible? There are no entries to alternate dimensions, and even if there were, we wouldn't know how to send you back." Ratchet said. I muttered again.

"I wouldn't want to _go_ back..."

"Maybe our new young friend is correct in her assumptions. The magnetic flux you detected could play a part in this. Perhaps she was just in the right place at the right time." Optimus said, looking down at me. "What is your name?"

"I'm Crystal. If I'm right, there's also Bumblebee, Arcee, and Bulkhead at the base, and Wheeljack is off somewhere with his ship." I said. The bots still didn't seem to grasp the fact that in my world, I knew everything about them.

"Alright then, Crystal. Would you care to explain how you obtained your injuries? I also noticed you have a much lower body mass than most females your age, indicating you haven't been getting proper nutrition." Ratchet said. I tried to search for an excuse like I had so many times before when I had to explain why I was black and blue before I realized I could just tell the bots the truth.

"I'm sure you figured out the bruises and broken bones aren't from the wreck... they're actually from my father. My mom died when I was young, so my dad raised my brother and I. After mom passed away, he turned alcoholic and would beat my brother and I. Now...well, I get most of the punishment. My brother has become just as cruel, the gash on my leg is from him, and a lot of the older scars are his doing." I said. Optimus seemed astonished.

"It doesn't seem reasonable that your own creator would abuse you this way." he remarked. I scoffed.

"You're telling me. I'm skinny because he doesn't let me eat, I get lunch at school, maybe, and that's all I eat for that day. At home, he screams that I'm worthless and he calls me a mistake..." I said, hearing my dad's voice echo in my head. Optimus leaned down to me.

"Your father is wrong. If you wish it, you may stay with us as long as you like." Optimus said. I looked up at him, smiling, and nodded my consent.

…**...**

** I enjoyed the first chapter of this, hopefully it will get popular. I WILL RESPOND TO ALL REVIEWS! I will make that known now. Thank you! Aurrawings out!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm updating! And sooner than I thought... Well, I'm on a roll for now, lets see how far I can go before I get stuck!**

…**...**

~Crystal's POV

I woke the next morning on the couch where I knew Jack, Miko, and Raf hung out. Confused for a moment because I didn't know where I was, I sat up abruptly and instinctively hissed in pain when my ribs and battered body complained. Everything came rushing back to me and I gained my bearings, standing and stretching carefully, as well as rubbing a knot out of my neck where I'd slept weird. Ratchet scared me a bit, though I did relax when I saw it was him.

"Good morning." he said. "How are you feeling?" he asked. I shrugged.

"About as good as one can feel after what happened to me. My dad has hurt me worse. A few times I haven't even been able to drag myself away." I said, cringing at the memory. Ratchet frowned.

"I find it barbaric that one of your kind would harm another in such a way. It makes no sense, especially since you did nothing wrong." Ratchet said. I shrugged again, stifling a yawn.

"That's what I told myself for years, I finally just gave up and got into racing to clear my thoughts." I said. Ratchet raised an optic ridge.

"I've been told that pastime was illegal... And did you get enough sleep? I could sedate you if you require more rest." Ratchet said to me. I waved my hands in front of me.

"No, no. I'm okay. Not that I don't like you, I just don't like hospitals or anything where I'm under a needle or a knife." I said, shuddering. Ratchet smiled faintly.

"You will not have to worry about that here. I have a compromise." Ratchet said. With the scanner on his arm, he ran it from my head to my feet and back again, the blue beam going red in a few places such as my torso and the cut on my leg. The sensation was odd, like a thin line of static traveling through me, but it wasn't particularly unpleasant so I didn't complain.

"I still am prescribing rest and little activity besides what you absolutely must do. If I am correct, the children keep food in the refrigerator next to the T.V. I'm also ordering you to eat, it appears you haven't had a regular supply of nutrition for a while. Your metabolism is thrown off, and by my scan, your body is using any stored energy it can find to continue on, basically, you were slowly starving before you ended up with us." Ratchet said. I looked with slight shame down at my toes, nodding in agreement. He was right, and I would have to do what he said.

I went to the fridge, looking through it and withdrawing an apple since I was so used to not eating breakfast. I sat down on the couch and munched on my breakfast, glancing around with a surreal feeling. All the years I had thought that Transformers were destined to be limited only to T.V and my head, now were put to scorn since I had met the Autobots. I absently toyed with the symbol hanging around my neck, looking down at the much larger one inscribed on the floor of the base.

_I'm never going to leave._ I thought to myself.

…...

After Ratchet had given me a brief tour of the base, I was walking back up to the platform where I'd slept when a large green truck nearly pancaked me as I walked for the stairs. Involuntarily I yelped in surprise, grimacing when pain shot through me from the sudden movement harassing my ribs. I looked over, knowing it was Bulkhead, and his young charge jumped from the passenger side before he transformed.

I, on the other hand, was panting trying to get my breath back, and flinching when discomfort jolted me with every breath. Ratchet noticed me and knelt, scanning me.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded.

"Fine, Bulkhead just surprised me is all." I said. Miko was now, predictably, gawking at me. I waved sheepishly and she bombarded me with questions so much I thought my brain would explode.

"Where are you from? What's your name? How did you get here? Why are you hurt? Is that purple car we found in the woods yours? How come you're wearing the bots' symbol?" she babbled. I blinked a few times.

"Uh... Let's see. I'm from a different dimension, though I lived in Indiana. My name is Crystal. I have no idea how I got here. My dad is abusive. The car was mine, and I wear the symbol because I think the Autobots are cool and in my dimension, they only exist as fictional characters." I said. Miko seemed astonished that I remembered all the questions, but she smiled nevertheless.

"Cool. You play an instrument?" Miko asked. I shook my head in a 'so so' gesture.

"I mess around on the guitar, I can't read music though." I said. Miko thought a moment.

"Can you sing?" she asked. I smirked.

"Not right now, broken ribs make it kind of hard to do anything, especially breathe." I said. Ratchet got my attention and pointed up to the platform.

"Yes, and speaking of that, you need to go rest, the tour was draining enough." Ratchet said, an odd level of concern in his voice. I groaned.

"I can't just sleep on a whim. And I don't want to be a couch potato either." I complained. Ratchet scooped me up and put me on the platform anyway. I looked grumpily at him, then sat on the couch. Miko came running up the stairs two at a time, then plopped right next to me.

"That's okay, we can hang up here! This is great! I finally get girl time with someone other than Arcee!" Miko quipped.

"I heard that." Arcee said as she drove in with Jack. I chuckled, though it hurt.

"Hey Jack." I said, surprising him that I knew his name. He looked up at the platform, tilting his head before looking back at Arcee.

"Uh...who's she?" Jack asked. I smiled, getting to my feet and going over to the railing. If Jack was 16 like I thought, I was only a year older, and from my dimension he seemed like a really nice guy...

"I'm Crystal. Haven't you ever seen someone from a different dimension before?" I said. Jack looked around at the bots and Miko.

"Is this some sort of joke?" he asked. Evidently, the bots all knew I was here, but they hadn't bothered to tell the kids.

"Sadly, no. It appears a magnetic fluctuation opened a portal to our dimension from hers. Her vehicle is currently damaged because she crashed, but if she wishes, I can repair it." Ratchet said, looking at me. I nodded.

"Please, whenever you get the time. That car is like a friend to me." I said. Ratchet nodded, looking back at Jack.

"I will explain to you and Rafael when he arrives." Ratchet said. We agreed, and I spent the next half hour getting my butt whipped at some racing game.

…...

About a week later, the pain in my ribs had faded, though was still present, and I suckered Ratchet into letting me do more. Oddly enough, he seemed to have taken to me more than any of the kids...honestly, I had thought he disliked humans... The kids were all there one day, when Miko suddenly grabbed me by the arm and dragged me down the stairs to one end of the main hangar.

"What are you doing?" I said as I kept pace with her.

"You said yourself you're feeling better, I want to hear you play. And sing." Miko said. I sighed. Miko practically thrust her guitar into my hands, and I strummed it few times to get the feel of it. Scanning through what I knew, I started playing a part of Linkin Park's 'What I've Done.' I didn't know the whole song, and when I finished, Miko was looking at me with her jaw dropped. I also noticed with embarrassment I had gotten the bots' attention.

"That was awesome! Now, what do you wanna sing?" she asked, handing me her Ipod. I scrolled through her songs, most of which were bands I didn't even know, understandable since the bands I knew probably didn't exist. I decided to just sing, and I played softly on Miko's guitar just to accompany my voice.

_You come to me with scars on your wrist_

_ You tell me this will be the last night feelin' like this_

_ (I just came to say goodbye, didn't want you to _

_ see me cry I'm fine...)_

_ But I know it's a lie_

_ This is the last night you'll spend alone_

_Look me in the eyes so I know you know_

_ I'm everywhere you want me to be_

_ The last night you'll spend alone_

_ I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go_

_ I'm everything you need me to be..._

_ Your parents say everything is your fault_

_ But they don't know you like I know you_

_ They don't know you at all_

_ (I'm so sick of when they say, it's just a _

_ phase you'll be okay, you're fine...)_

_ But I know it's a lie_

_ This is the last night you'll spend alone_

_ Look me in the eye so I know you know_

_ I'm everywhere you need me to be_

_ The last night you'll spend alone_

_ I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go_

_ I'm everything you need me to be_

_ The last night away from me..._

_ The night is so long _

_ when everything's wrong_

_ If you give me a hand_

_ I will help you hold on (Tonight)_

_ This is the last night you'll spend alone_

_ Look me in the eyes so I know you know_

_ I'm everywhere you want me to be_

_ This is the last night you'll spend alone_

_ I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go_

_ I'm everything you need me to be_

_ I won't let you say goodbye_

_ And there'll be no reason why_

_ The last night away from me_

_ (away from me...)_

I trailed off the last note and looked at Miko sheepishly. The bots looked like they liked it, Bee and Bulkhead actually clapped.

"Whoa...you sound awesome!" Miko said. "What song is that?" she asked. "I've never heard it before."

"It's 'The Last Night' by Skillet. A lot of times I'd listen to it when...well...after my dad would have an episode. It reminded me that there's at least someone out there I can always count on, oddly enough...I always thought of the bots when I was having a hard time and it always helped calm me down." I said, turning my gaze to them.

"Well, glad to hear you think that way of us." Arcee said. I smiled and nodded. Ratchet got my attention.

"Crystal, would you want to retrieve your vehicle now?" Ratchet asked. I brightened a bit.

"Of course!" I said. Ratchet opened the ground bridge.

"Bumblebee, go with her," Ratchet said. Bee nodded, following me in robot form as I walked through the ground bridge. When I got through the other side, it felt almost like my bones themselves were vibrating.

"Uhg...I've heard the kids complain about it before... but that's gonna take some getting used to." I said. I scanned the area for my lavender car, and spotted it where I had left it, front end wrapped around a tree. I motioned Bumblebee over, and he helped pull my car away from the tree. I opened the driver's door, steering while Bee carefully pushed my car back to the ground bridge.

On the other side, Jack whistled in admiration.

"Wow, this is your ride?" he said. I smiled over the top of my car and nodded. I parked it out of the way with Bumblebee's help.

"Yep, a 2012 Toyota Supra, custom." I said. "I can take you for a spin when Ratchet gets time to fix it." I said. Jack nodded.

"Gets time? I can actually work on it now." Ratchet said. I thanked him again for his offer, and went back to hang out with the kids.

…**...**

** Wow, got bit by the writer's bug I guess. New chapters might be shorter, but I dunno. Please R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Grf...so tired... sorry if it's not as good.**

…**...**

~Crystal's POV

"Okay, try that out." Ratchet said as he finished tightening something and leaned back. I opened the door of my car and turned the key, grinning when the engine roared to life. It settled into a low purr, and I affectionately rubbed the edge of the door.

"She sounds just like she used to, looks the same too. Thank you Ratchet, more than you know." I said. Ratchet seemed to enjoy the praise, and he got to his feet.

"You're more than welcome. Just ask if you need anything." Ratchet said. I glanced over at Jack and the kids, who were up on the platform in the main hangar.

"I _did _promise Jack a ride. Is it okay if I go?" I asked. I hadn't been out of the base since I'd been here, and I was itching with cabin fever. Ratchet contemplated it, then consented.

"Okay, I can bridge you to a remote area, that way no one will notice you out and you can have some fun." Ratchet said with a ghost of a smile. "Have Jack call when you're done and I can bridge you back here." he said. I smiled, then reached into my car and blared the horn twice.

"Hey Jack!" I called. "How about that ride?" I asked. He nodded.

"Sure." Jack said, getting off the couch where he'd been and starting down the stairs. Miko ducked past him, taking the stairs two at a time before sprinting over to me.

"I call shotgun!" she said. I looked at her sheepishly.

"Uh, Miko...My car doesn't have a back seat, and I did kinda invite Jack..." I said. Miko put on a pouting face and I sighed.

"Next time, I promise." I said. Jack called from where he was halfway down the stairs.

"Ah, just let her go with you, Crystal. Better to have Miko happy at you than have Miko with a grudge." Jack said. I shrugged.

"Hop in then." I said with a smile. I shut the driver's door behind me, putting my seat belt out of habit. Miko jumped in the passenger side, shutting the door and clicking on her seat belt.

"Be careful." Ratchet said as I drove into the ground bridge. On the other side, I found myself on a deserted road with pretty much no one or anything around me. I revved the engine, looking over at Miko.

"Wanna see what a few hundred horsepower of foreign street car can do?" I asked. Miko smirked.

"You know it!" I spun the tires, smoke and an acrid smell billowing around my Toyota before I smashed down the accelerator, throwing Miko back in her seat. She giggled madly, and I have to say, it was contagious. Flipping open a panel on my steering wheel, I glanced at Miko as my speedometer climbed towards 115 mph. Smirking, I pressed the nitrous button and with a hiss, even I was pressed back into my seat as the desert swirled by. Miko threw her hands up, laughing.

"Wooooohooooo!" she shouted. I let off the accelerator, setting the emergency brake and cranking my wheel so I did an immediate 180. Correcting quickly, I spun the tires and took off in the opposite direction. Choosing a small rock formation, I drove off-road onto the hard packed earth, speeding up until it looked like I was going to hit dead on. I set the brake again, drifting around the rocks a full two times before taking off again.

"This is better than Tokyo Drift!" Miko said. I was surprised.

"What? That movie exists here?" I asked. Miko looked at me questioningly.

"Yeah, it was shot in my hometown too! You could totally have been a stunt driver." Miko said. I laughed.

"It's a career I considered, actually." I said.

We drove around a few more hours, me showing off a few more times, but I didn't want to put too much stress on my car. I had Miko contact Ratchet and bridge us back. Once there, Miko jumped out and looked like she was about to spaz out.

"That...was...AWESOME!" she said. "No offense Bulk, but I think I'm riding with Crystal from now on." Miko said to her guardian. I shook my head.

"Nah, stay with Bulkie. I'm no Autobot." I said. Ratchet smiled.

"That you may not be, but we're more than happy to have you."

…...

"C'mon Crystal!" Miko said, pulling me off the couch where I'd dozed off. I startled awake, half-falling onto the floor.

"Uhnn...What?" I said, getting up and ignoring the faint protest that my ribs gave. She led me down to the main hangar.

"Band practice! What do you wanna sing this time?" she asked. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and shrugged.

"I just woke up... lemme think about it." I said. I cleared my throat and followed her. I pulled out my iPod that Miko had been kind enough to give me, scrolling through my downloaded songs. Surprisingly, though it was a different dimension, everything seemed the same. The cars, the bands, the movies. All except for the Transformers franchise, obviously because in this world it was real. I found one I thought I'd like to sing, though I didn't feel like singing much at the moment.

Miko caught Optimus walking by and called him over.

"Hey big guy, you gotta listen to Crystal sing!" Miko said. I felt my face flush and looked away, though Optimus came over anyway.

"I can't sing _that_ well..." I said. Miko scoffed.

"You could be on American Idol." she reassured. Sighing, I put the song I wanted to sing on and turned up the volume all the way, setting the iPod on the stair behind me and clearing my throat again. The slow piano riff played as the words started...

_You were standing in the wake of devastation_

_ You were waiting on the edge of the unknown_

_ With the cataclysm raining downloaded _

_ Insides crying 'Save me now'_

_ You were there impossibly alone..._

_ Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?_

_ You built up hope, but failure's all you've known_

_ Remember all the sadness and frustration_

_ And let it go_

_ let it go..._

_ And in a burst of light that blinded every angel_

_ As if the sky had blown the heavens into stars_

_ You felt the gravity of tempered grace_

_ falling into empty space_

_ No one there to catch you in their arms..._

_ Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?_

_ You built up hope but failure's all you've known_

_ Remember all the sadness and frustration_

_ And let it go_

_ let it go..._

_ (Do you feel cold and lost in desperation_

_ you built up hope but failure's all you've known_

_ remember all the sadness and frustration_

_ and let it go...)_

_ Let it go..._

_ Let it go..._

_ Let it go..._

_ Let it go..._

_ Do you feel cold and lost in desperation_

_ You built up hope but failure's all you've known_

_ Remember all the sadness and frustration_

_ And let it go_

_ Let it go..._

I let the fading piano music play out before I looked at Optimus. He was smiling, surprisingly, because I hardly have ever seen him smile.

"I enjoy that song. You have an obvious talent." Optimus said. I nodded in thanks.

"The song was 'Iridescent' by Linkin Park. And thank you. Actually... this may be weird for you, but in my dimension there are movies with you guys in them, and the third one had 'Iridescent' as the main song. Linkin Park played the two other theme songs as well." I said. Optimus raised an optic ridge.

"I still find this concept...unusual, but I believe you." Optimus said, walking away. Miko nudged me.

"Another awesome performance my friend!" she said. I nodded in thanks to her as well.

…...

A few days later, I woke in the morning after a night on the couch, finding Ratchet waiting for me.

"Hold still." he said, running the scanner through me. I made a face at the sensation. It wasn't necessarily painful, but it was unpleasant. Imagine a that numb, static-y feeling you get when a limb falls asleep and have it travel through your whole body. Easy to tell why I disliked it...

"It looks like your bones are mending well." he said, half to himself.

"Ratchet, you mind if I go out for a drive?" I asked. He sighed.

"I suppose not. I'll bridge y-" he started to say when I interrupted.

"I was kind of wondering if I could just drive around Jasper, get to know the place, you know? I can't stay in the base _all_ the time." I said. Ratchet seemed to think about it, and I put on my best 'Pleeeeasssee!' face. He sighed again.

"Alright, keep your phone nearby, call if anyone gives you trouble." he said. I laughed to myself, he sounded like my dad...well, before he turned abusive. I shook it off, getting in my car and idling at an easy pace out the tunnel. The outside door to the base opened automatically, releasing me into the early morning desert. The sun was not yet up, but the sky in the east was a pale color and as I drove, a blood-red sliver of the sun slid above the horizon. I drove in the direction I thought Jasper was, not difficult because there was only one road. At one four-way intersection though, I saw a sleek red sports car driving at an easy pace down the road perpendicular to me. I tried to decipher what it was before it got too far away, an Austin Martin maybe? I decided to follow it, maybe show off a little...

Turning down the side road, I pressed down steadily on the accelerator, catching up with the sports car. My headlights illuminated the rear of it in the early morning glow, allowing me to read the license plate. 'JOFY 892,' it read. I thought it was odd, though strangely familiar. That car also looked incredibly familiar, but I couldn't seem to place my finger on it. I slammed on the accelerator, the engine in my purple racer roaring as I surged ahead of the sports car. The windows were tinted, so I couldn't see the look of the driver's face when I set the emergency brake and cut in front of him, making him slam to a stop. I drifted in a circle around him, smirking as I waved. Laughing to myself, I whipped around and sped off, returning to the intersection and this time turning for Jasper.

You can imagine my surprise when a few minutes later, a hard thump rocked my car and I glanced in the rearview mirror to see the same sports car from before. I racked my brain for why this jerk would dent my ride, other than the fact I showed off a little, I didn't hurt him. Then it clicked. The license plate, the familiar car...

I lost control when the sports car used a pit maneuver on me. I spun in a half circle, hitting the brakes so I was now facing the sports car. I glared, clenching the steering wheel in my grip. My Autobot symbol around my neck now rested on my chest, and believe me, I wore it with pride. The familiar car then made a familiar noise, and quickly, there was a certain Decepticon standing in front of my Toyota.

Knockout...

"Let's see your fancy tricks now, human! The Autobots aren't here to help you, are they?" Knockout sneered.

_Scrap._

…**...**

**(gasp!) oh noes! I had to bring in a 'Con or something, the plot was going nowhere and I needed something to spice it up. Now, by way of review... who votes Crystal gets kidnapped and who votes Ratchet comes through a ground bridge and it's a doc vs. doc fight? Up to you, I have ideas for both. Let me know what you think! Aurrawings out! ^~^**


	4. Chapter 4

**Next chapter! I've gotten opinons as to which scenario it will be, and you will all find out soon! And yes, I could possibly have Crystal sing in most of the chapters. It gives it length. Do not judge.**

…**...**

I could feel my heart thudding in my chest as Knockout knelt in front of my car. I'd always thought about what it would be like to meet a 'con face to face, but I never thought I'd be so terrified. I gave an involuntary yelp and shielded my face when he shattered the windshield. I risked a glance back at him, though now he held a container full of a glowing, green, liquid substance.

He drew back to throw it at me, for some odd reason, when a ground bridge opened behind him. He glanced back, then returned his attention to me. Smashing the container on the hood of my car, the contents spattered over the frame, though most of it remained on the hood, a lot splattered onto me as well. I hissed in pain as the substance burned my skin, not with heat but with chemicals, and guessed the substance to be synthetic energon.

Knockout stood with a smirk on his face.

"Enjoy your present!" he said. His smirk dropped, however, when someone tapped on his shoulder from behind.

"I'll be the judge of that." Ratchet said, smashing his fist into Knockout's face when he turned. I pulled my gaze from their fight to look down at where the synth-en had burned me. Where it had touched my clothes was fine, only when it had made direct contact with my skin had it reacted. Grabbing a sweater out of the empty back of my car, I pulled it on to reduce the stinging of the burns when the air hit them. I was startled by a loud crash, and looked up to see Ratchet had taken a hit and staggered back a few steps. Knockout was advancing, but not for long.

I tightened my seat belt, gripping the steering wheel as I slammed on the accelerator. I drove straight for Knockout's legs, bracing myself right before impact. With a blow that felt like my spine had been torn in half and that caused the seat belt to dig into my chest, I collided with Knockout. The desired outcome was obtained, he, in surprise, fell. Not to mention he had a pretty nasty dent and some scratches on his leg. I shakily undid my seat belt and opened the door, running around to the back of my car and ripping off the license plate so anyone who found my car couldn't trace it to me. I also peeled the Autobot decal off the window and crumpled it in my hand, running as fast as I could to the ground bridge.

Ratchet scooped me up as I ran by, and he turned and ran into the ground bridge. I looked back before we entered the base, Knockout was getting to his feet, and my car looked almost just as it had right before Ratchet had fixed it.

Ratchet slowed to a walk on the other side of the bridge, putting me down.

"By the All Spark, Crystal, what were you thinking?!" Ratchet said. I held up my hands in surrender.

"Just tryin' to help. That creep deserves a Toyota to the shins." I said. Ratchet sighed, but I saw the hint of a smile on his face.

"That may be, but you could've been seriously injured. Are you?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Maybe a bruise from the seat belt, but nah, I'm fine. Street racers fight dirty, I've came out of worse in my old car." I said, thinking of the time when a racer had used a pit maneuver on me (illegal) and sent me off the side of the road, where I rolled into a ravine. Luckily, my car then wasn't as conspicuous as my Toyota, and I got off with the cops by saying a random jerk had ran me off the road.

Ratchet didn't seem satisfied, though he let it go.

"Do you have any idea what he wanted?" Ratchet asked. I shook my head.

"Other than to show off and express his jealousy that my car is better than his alt mode." I said. Ratchet smiled again.

"I think from now on it be best if you have one of us accompany you if you wish to go out." Ratchet said. I nodded.

"If you say so." I said.

…...

"What?! You got to kick 'Con tailpipe without me? No fair!" Miko complained when I was forced to relay what had happened. Bee made a series of beeps and whirrs that Raf interpreted.

"Bee says you were really brave." he said. I nodded in his direction. Jack even seemed impressed, as well as Arcee, who spoke up.

"Wow, that was a pretty gutsy thing of you to do. Not a lot of humans I've met have that courage. Nice job saving Ratchet's tail." she said. I rubbed the back of my neck, noting that my arms stung where the synth-en had burned them, though I was still wearing my sweater.

"It was Ratchet that saved me." I said. Miko was staring at me, and I raised an eyebrow.

"What?" I asked.

"I think you owe me." she said. I cocked my head.

"For what?"

"I already said! You got to see more action than I have in weeks!...I think you need to sing again." she said. I groaned in mock despair.

"Now?" I asked. She nodded eagerly and Raf pitched in as well.

"I like it when you sing, it's really pretty and you always seem to know what to sing." Raf said. Jack was again quiet, but I knew he always was. I sighed, pulling my Ipod out of my pocket and scrolling through the songs. I picked one, tapped it, and told Miko what it was.

"This is 'Savin Me' by Nickelback." I said, letting the opening guitar play.

_Prison gates won't open up for me_

_ On these hands and knees I'm crawlin._

_ Oh, I reach for you_

_ Well I'm terrified of these four walls_

_ These iron bars can't hold my soul in_

_ All I need is you_

_ Come please I'm callin/_

_ And oh I scream for you_

_ Hurry I'm fallin'..._

_ Show me what it's like_

_ To be the last one standing_

_ And teach me wrong from right_

_ And I'll show you what I can be_

_ Say it for me _

_ Say it to me_

_ And I'll leave this life behind me_

_ Say it if it's worth savin' me_

_ Heaven's gates won't open up for me_

_ With these broken wings I'm fallin'_

_ And all I see is you_

_ These city walls ain't got no love for me_

_ I'm no the ledge of the eighteenth story_

_ And oh I scream for you_

_ Come please I'm callin' _

_ And all I need from you_

_ Hurry I'm fallin'_

_ Show me what it's like_

_ To be the last one standing_

_ Teach me wrong from right_

_ And I'll show you what I can be_

_ Say it for me_

_ Say it to me_

_ And I'll leave this life behind me_

_ Say it if it's worth savin' me_

_ Hurry I'm fallin_

_ And all I need is you_

_ Come please I'm callin'_

_ And oh I scream for you_

_ Hurry I'm fallin'_

_ Show me what it's like _

_ To be the last one standing_

_ And teach me wrong from right_

_ And I'll show you what I can be_

_ Say it for me _

_ Say it to me_

_ And I'll leave this life behind me_

_ Say it if it's worth savin' me_

_ Hurry I'm fallin'_

_ Say it for me _

_ Say it to me_

_ And I'll leave this life behind me_

_ Say it if it's worth saving me..._

I let my voice fade into the piano at the end, getting another positive reaction. The kids and their guardians clapped, and I smiled, embarrassed yet again by Miko. Something strange happened, though, when I turned to take the few steps to the couch on the platform. My vision blurred and my head swam, I was crazily dizzy. I stopped, but the world lurched at an impossible angle and my legs buckled. Smacking my head on the metal floor helped speed up my trip to unconsciousness.

~Ratchet's POV

I listened to Crystal singing from my lab, she really did have a remarkable voice. And I had to admit...I was growing attached to her. Somehow, though she was stuck in the base all day with me, she managed not to annoy me, for that I think I liked her. I heard her fade off, then returned to the tinkering I'd been doing. Not long after, I heard a soft thud and then Jack called my name frantically.

"Ratchet! Something's wrong with Crystal!"

_Scrap..._ I _knew_ I shouldv'e run a scan as soon as we returned. Naive me just _had_ to believe her when she said she was okay... I hurried over to the platform, seeing that Crystal, fine just moments before, was slumped unconscious on the floor. I picked her up gently, careful not to injure her. Her weight was nearly imperceptible to me, and I laid her on a table in my lab. Running a cursory scan, I found just a few things wrong with her, but nothing I could tell that would cause her to lose consciousness. She was right that she had a bruise from her seat belt, and she was going to have another one where she apparently hit her head on the floor. I called Miko down to the lab.

"Can you remove her sweatshirt for me? I need to run a more thorough scan and it's prohibiting it." I said. Miko nodded, a little shaken up by the looks of it. She unzipped the sweater and gingerly started working it off, though she stepped back, repulsed, when she started pulling it the remainder of the way off of Crystal's arms.

The fabric was causing large sections of her skin to slough away, leaving them raw and exposed. I pulled the garment off the rest of the way, running another scan. Patches of her arms were seared as though by a chemical burn and other parts looked like some sort of deep infection had set in. I took a piece of her tissue that had sloughed off, putting it under my microscope and analyzing it quickly. I soon found my answer as to what had hurt her.

Among the cells for her skin were the fundamental components of synthetic energon, which I thought was impossible, I had destroyed the last dose I had...

I returned to Crystal, disinfected the burns as best I could, and carefully bandaged her arms. She lay, still unconscious, and showed no signs of waking.

All I could do was wait.

…**...**

**Uhhhgg...body so tired, mind so awake... (yawns) I hope you like it. I'm going to bed.**


	5. Chapter 5

~Ratchet's POV

To my relief a few hours after she'd mysteriously collapsed, Crystal came to her senses in my lab and tried to sit up. I let her, but didn't allow her to leave the table where she was, especially since she had a few monitors attached to her. She held one of her bandaged arms in front of her, gingerly stroking the material.

"What happened?" she asked. I shook my head.

"I've been trying to figure that out. My best guess is that your body is reacting violently to the synthetic energon I found on what was left of the skin on your arms. Care to tell me where that came from, or why you didn't tell me?" I said, trying to be stern but sounding more worried than I wanted to. Crystal seemed to have to struggle to remember, though she answered fairly promptly.

"That container that Knockout had, it must've had synthetic energon in it. When he broke it on the hood of my car, some of it splashed onto me, that must be how I got the burns. I didn't tell you because I thought you'd worry too much and I thought it was just a few small chemical burns." Crystal said, looking up at me with her brilliant blue gaze. I noted that they seemed paler than they had before, and from under the edge of the bandage on her right arm, dark lines were starting to creep onto her hand, following the path of her veins. I pointed at the advancement, true worry now creeping into my tone.

"No chemical burn does that. Crystal, even normal, pure energon can damage a human, let alone a formula that has been tampered with and that I have no idea what it's made of." I said. Crystal frowned.

"I'm sorry..." she said. She traced her thumb along one of the lines in her hand, glancing at her bandaged arms. "It actually doesn't hurt that much..." she trailed off.

"That's because the synth-en is damaging your nerves. Even if I..._when_ I figure out a way to stop it's advancement, you may have permanent loss of feeling in certain areas." I said. Crystal didn't seem to be focusing on me, her paler gaze now drifted and fixed on what appeared to be the toe of her shoe.

"Crystal? Did you hear me?" She didn't give any sign she'd heard me, and lightly, I nudged her with the side of my index finger. Crystal reacted sluggishly, appearing to try and shake something off before looking up at me.

"Sorry... I guess I'm not feeling as hot as I thought I was..." she said. I ran a scan on her, and shed didn't complain as she usually did, which concerned me a bit. I looked at the results, frowning when I saw her heart rate was up and her blood pressure was down. It appeared as though the synth-en was circulating throughout her entire system, and now it was working at her heart, as well as her brain. Even more frightening, I had no way of knowing how to reverse it. I looked back at her to see she had lost focus again, her eyes somewhat glazed over. I knelt down, clicking on a light and lifting her chin towards me. Crystal remained unresponsive, and her reaction to the light alarmed me.

Unlike the normal reflex where her pupil should've contracted quickly, it did so sluggishly and still didn't narrow to as small as it should've been. I withdrew the light to avoid causing her pain, if she even felt any, and let her chin fall. She remained limp, and I checked the results of my newest scan again. Her breathing was somewhat labored, and she had a medium-grade fever, probably her body's natural response to any foreign material. From what I knew already though, the white blood cells that would attack synth-en would only be destroyed, leaving Crystal weaker and open to any small infection that could arise. With the wounds on her arms already seeming so, it was dire to see the circumstances.

I looked back at her when a small alarm sounded, only to see she had fallen onto her back and was starting to convulse.

"Scrap!" I said, kneeling quickly by where she lay. Trying to remember what I had read about human medicine, I gently rolled her onto her side so she wouldn't choke on her own tongue, but it appeared she had already bitten it, a stream of crimson ran from one corner of her mouth. She shook like a leaf against my hand, and I didn't know what to do except comfort her. I was a bit glad the only other one in the base was Optimus, I'd had the others take the kids home. Knowing Miko, she'd either panic or be in my way.

"It's all right, Crystal. You'll be okay..." I said helplessly as her body was racked with spasms. After probably the longest two minutes in my life, she relaxed, her eyes clearing of the cloudiness that they'd held before. Her small sides heaved as she came to her senses, and I left my hand resting against her as a sign I hadn't left.

…...

~Crystal's POV

I remembered Ratchet chewing me out for not telling him about the synthetic energon incident, then my mind started to haze over. Soon, I blanked out.

The next thing I knew, I felt a slight, warm presence against my back and my vision focused enough for me to realize I was now on my side instead of sitting up. There was blood in my mouth and from the pain of it, I guessed I had somehow bitten into my tongue. I lifted my head slightly, twisting around to see it had been Ratchet that was touching me. I had to admit, it was comforting to know he cared about me. I tried to sit up, but he kept me on the table. He did allow me to roll onto my back though.

"Ugh...what happened?" I asked. Ratchet was frowning.

"You blanked out on me, then you had a seizure. Quite a violent one, actually. You bit your tongue, if you were wondering what the blood was from." Ratchet said. I wiped the corner of my mouth where I felt a wetness, and my hand was streaked in blood when I looked at it. I frowned, looking down at my arms. Now both of my hands had the evil-looking patterns in them, and my right hand had it all the way to the tips of my fingers. I allowed myself a small moment of insecurity and chewed on my bottom lip, tracing the lines in my hands as a whispered.

"Ratchet...I'm scared..." I said quietly. Ratchet heard me, and leaned down.

"I understand, my small friend. I'm concerned for your well-being, very much so. We can only hope whatever the synthetic energon does to your body will not threaten your life much more. I will be doing everything I can to try and cure you, but at the moment...I can't say how sorry I am that I don't know what to do." Ratchet said. I nodded chewing on the end of my thumb briefly.

"Even if you can't fix me...it's okay." I said. Ratchet looked at me, exasperated by his expression, and reprimanded me.

"Don't say that. I'll...at least figure out what's going on. It requires tests though, most of which are not pleasant... would you consent to it?" Ratchet said. I considered, not wanting to agree, but not wanting to decline either. I strongly disliked anything to do with a hospital or something medical, but if it would help find out what was going on...

"Okay, I'll do it." I said, not relishing the idea much though. "What if I start to black out again?" I asked. He let me sit up, and I gratefully did. Ratchet got to his feet, answering as he turned to retrieve something from his lab.

"I can tell pretty easily. Your eyes glaze over and you don't focus on me." Ratchet said. When his back was turned, I smirked, my slightly cruel side coming out. Messing with him, I relaxed completely and slumped a bit, fixing my gaze on my left hand. I couldn't fake my eyes, but he'd probably panic too much to notice. I kept a poker face and didn't look up when Ratchet turned.

"Crystal?" he asked. I laughed inwardly, but said nothing and didn't move. Ratchet set whatever he had on the side of the table, frowning from what I could see out of the corner of my eye. Right before he started flipping out, I cracked a smile and started laughing, looking up to see his expression go from horror, to confused, to relieved, and then to irritation.

"I'm just messing with you, Ratchet! Don't worry, I won't do it again, but you should've seen the look on your face!" I said between laughs. Ratchet huffed, picking up whatever he had set on the table, I looked at it, my mirth vanishing at the sight of it. It was meant to be a syringe, but it was obvious Ratchet had modified it to work with humans. The actual vial part of it was large, but not so large as would be the Autobots' version, and was only just big enough that Ratchet could use it without crushing it. The plunger had been modified as well, large enough for him to hold on to, but only just so. The needle, on the other hand, startled me. Instead of the typical short, very thin needle that was common with human medical equipment, this one seemed only a bit smaller in diameter than a toothpick and about as long. More like a needle for livestock, not people...but I wasn't going to put up a fight. Ratchet explained as he knelt again.

"I need a sample of your blood so I can study it. I apologize for the lack of standard equipment, but this is the best I can do." Ratchet said.

"Okay...but that's still a big-ass needle." I said, eying it. Ratchet looked at me in sympathy.

"I apologize, any smaller and I wouldn't be able to assemble the syringe. That being so, the veins in your arms are too small... I need a sample from your leg." he said. I cringed at the thought, but took a deep breath and nodded, gripping the edge of the table even before he started lowering the needle. Before he did, he got my attention.

"I apologize again, I know it will be painful. But Crystal, you _must not move_. I can stick you in the right place the first time so long as you do not flinch. The more relaxed you stay the less it will hurt later as well." Ratchet said. I took a shuddering breath, lying back on the table so I couldn't see my leg. I closed my eyes, reaching with my right hand and gripping the edge of the table again.

"Do it...but don't tell me when or I'll tense up...and don't wait too long or I will too." I said, not even opening my eyes. Ratchet gave no indication he'd heard me, so I just counted the pounding of my heart. I started to relax after I'd counted about one hundred beats, thinking maybe Ratchet had done it already and I didn't feel it. Right when the tension unwound from me, I sharp, pinching pain bored through the front of my left thigh, and my grip involuntarily clenched onto the edge of the table. After a long second, a burning pressure encompassed the area and I kept my eyes closed and my teeth and fists clenched.

Soon, though later than I would've liked, the pressure and pain withdrew, leaving a dull throb, and I opened my eyes, sitting up, but carefully. Ratchet had his back to me, and I saw him place a sample of my blood under a microscope. It looked odd, darker than even de-oxygenated blood, and I could've sworn I saw a glimpse of iridescent green or blue within my blood.

"All done." he said. I took a shuddering breath.

"Never...again." I said. Ratchet smiled.

…**...**

**Note to self: don't write right before bed or you will dream of Transformers... Fine with me, last night I dreamed I was my OC Hayli and I hung out with Prowl all night. Lolz... enjoy. Aurrawings out! ^~^**


	6. Chapter 6

**'nother chapter done! **

…**...**

~Ratchet's POV

I felt terrible when I had so draw Crystal's blood. The way she reacted when I pushed the needle through her skin showed how much pain it caused... I analyzed the sample, frowning. It didn't appear normal, at all, and that was even before I put it under my microscope. The color wasn't the normal crimson it should've been, instead, it was much darker even though I drew it from a vein. I placed a small sample on a slide and looked through my microscope, adjusting the zoom until I could see what was going on.

It looked as though the red blood cells somehow weren't getting near enough oxygen, and the white blood cells were nearly nonexistent. Concerning to me, I also noted that the quantity of synth-en in her blood was somehow growing, and in the process it was reverting back to pure energon. I frowned, puzzled, and looked back at Crystal. I motioned for her to hold still, then ran a very thorough scan. I looked at it a long moment, confused at the readings I was getting.

"Is something wrong?" Crystal asked. She had developed a nervous habit now of tracing the pattern in her hand thanks to the synth-en. I tapped my scanner to make sure it wasn't glitching, and tried to figure out why I was getting the readings I was. It suddenly dawned on me, though at first I thought it impossible.

"I...I think I figured out what is wrong with you." I said. Crystal looked relieved.

"Well, spit it out! Can you fix me or not?" she asked. I knelt, looking her in the eyes.

"The synth-en is starting to... mechanize your body. And no, at this point, I can't reverse it, if I tried, more likely than not it would kill you." I said. Crystal's excited expression dropped and she frowned.

"So what about me now? I thought this stuff was killing me?" she said.

"Not exactly...It's making you very ill, yes, and it probably will until the process is complete. The synth-en, and normal energon that it's turning into, won't be compatible with your body until you are Cybertronian." I explained as gently as I could. Crystal, taking a shuddering sigh, nodded.

"I did always wonder back in my dimension what it would be like to be an Autobot...and now I get to find out." she said, pulling a weak smile. I smiled in turn, curling my hand against her back. She leaned into my touch, and I could feel the fevered heat of her body as she closed her eyes for a moment. She spoke without opening them.

"Hey Ratch...can I call you that? I have a favor to ask." she said. I tilted my helm.

"I suppose...just not in front of the kids. If they knew I was letting you call me a nickname...I'd never hear the end of it." I said with a small grin. She smiled in turn.

"After I'm better...I want to go back to my dimension, just for a few hours." she said. "Is that magnetic thing still going on?" she asked.

"May I ask why? And yes, the surges are still exactly three hours apart and they last for approximately two minutes." I answered. She seemed relieved, and opened her eyes.

"I need to tie up loose ends back home...and take care of something. I think it best that I go alone, if any of you were seen in my universe it could be chaos." she said. I nodded.

"Fair enough." I said, removing my hand from her back. She smiled at my response.

"One other thing...I wanted to thank you, and all the Autobots. You've shown me more kindness in the short time I've been here than I have experienced probably in my entire life. You saved my life, probably twice, for that I can't thank you enough." she said. I didn't really know what to say, and changed the subject, though it made her complain.

"You should...get some rest. I'm sure you don't feel the greatest and it's going to stay this way or get worse for a while." I said. Crystal rolled her eyes at me and sighed.

"I don't even think I can sleep, this table is made of what, rock? And I slept forever anyway." Crystal said in a flippant tone. I sighed, though good-naturedly.

"Since you most likely will always have permanent living arrangements in the base, I will talk to Optimus about getting you a room. As for now...I suppose you can sleep on the couch on the platform, but if you seize again, you're going straight back to my lab until you're stable again." I said. She gave me a thumbs up, looking up towards the platform. She pulled her feet under her, standing. She swayed uneasily and I held out my hand to steady her. Crystal gave a nod of gratitude, holding fairly tightly to me.

"I...don't know if I'm quite up to climbing all the stairs..." she said, hiding the fact that she probably couldn't even have walked ten steps without being exhausted. Wordlessly, and very gently, I tipped her into my hand and raised her up to the platform, setting her down next to the yellowed couch that the children had found for their place. She looked back at me, giving a warm grin.

~Crystal's POV

I felt like crap, that much was painfully obvious. The base spun when I stood, and I braced my legs until Ratchet steadied me. Nothing in particular really stood out over anything else, but I just had that general 'blegh' feeling that came with having the flu or something similar. I looked hopelessly at the platform, then the next thing I knew, Ratchet had scooped me in his palm and had put me next to the couch.

Smiling, I thanked him, arranging myself on the couch and lying on my side, facing away from Ratchet's lab. I had lied when I told him I wasn't tired, in fact, all it seemed like I wanted more than anything was sleep. I yawned hugely, shifted to get comfortable, and let my eyes slide shut. Unexpectedly, right before I drifted off, a blanket was laid gently over me and a light, warm touch ran down my shoulder before it disappeared.

_Ratchet..._

…_..._

**Sorry this one is shorter and longer in coming, I've been VERY busy these past days/weeks. I will update when I can (for all my stories)**


	7. Chapter 7

**For those of you who asked, yes, you _are_ sensing a relationship between Crystal and everyone's favorite CMO. Oh, and as a warning, this chapter contains some reference to something beyond just physical abuse and some language, so...you are warned. Onward!**

…**...**

~Crystal's POV

It had been a few days, and Ratchet had said my transformation was nearing its completion. Energon now ran through my veins instead of blood, my blue eyes seemed almost back lit, and internally, I was nearly identical to a Cybertronian. Besides the fact I couldn't transform and I still looked like I had before I was infected with synthetic energon, I had found I was nearly as strong as the Autobots as well... quite by accident.

I had been watching Bulkhead and Bee lobbing, which I guess was a popular pastime on Cyberton. Problem was, Bee missed catching the thing once and it headed straight for me. Surprising everyone, and myself, I caught it and it didn't squash me like a bug. It didn't feel too heavy to me either, about like a big medicine ball. I smiled, heaving it towards Bee who this time, caught it without incident.

Since I'd been feeling better, I decided it was time I ask Ratchet if I could go back to my dimension for a while. I found Ratchet in his lab, where he normally was, and got his attention.

"Hey Ratchet." I said, walking up to him. He turned, looking down at me before kneeling.

"Hello Crystal. How are you feeling today?" he asked. I smiled.

"Great, actually, I think my body is accepting the Cybertronian tech now, that, or most of me is Cybertronian." I said. "And about that...I want to go back home now, just for a couple hours between the fluctuation." I said. Ratchet sighed.

"I was afraid you might ask that, so I already programmed the coordinates for the ground bridge and recorded the times for each magnetic fluctuation. The next one is in an hour and three minutes, but since it's in the time zone ahead of us, you should be right on time if you go now." Ratchet said, walking out and activating the ground bridge. "I know what you said, but take Bumblebee with you." Ratchet said. Bee looked over at his name, then jogged to us. "He'll have no problem maintaining his cover, he is our scout after all. And besides...I think Bumblebee's alternate form is more suited to what you drive anyway." Ratchet said. Bee whirred, transforming and opening the driver's door.

"Alright, thanks." I said, climbing inside Bee's alt mode. Before he closed the door, Ratchet called to me.

"Keep a close eye on the time, if you miss it you'll have to wait another three hours." he said. I waved, buckling the seat belt as Bee closed his door and drove through the ground bridge. On the other side, he pulled forward a bit, then stopped, seeming to ask me for directions.

"It's not far, we should look for that shattered tree where I crashed, that's a good a marker as any. I said. Bee whirred again, scanning and finding the tree quickly. Though when he drove forward, I felt an odd sensation, like I was falling or every cell in my body was moving at hyper-speed, before we emerged in a similar looking woods, but with a road winding close by. I laughed.

"Wow, it worked! It actually worked! Now I know for sure the last week or so hasn't been a dream." I said. Bee made a sound I took as laughter, and he pulled to the road.

"Uh...I doubt you know the way. Mind if I take the reins?" I asked. Bee made a low whirr, and the steering wheel lolled to the side. I tentatively took the wheel, easing my foot onto the gas as if he were my touchy Supra. He, in fact, reacted almost the same way. I barely touched the gas pedal and he surged onto the road.

Laughing, I straightened us out and turned for my hometown. I had only a few basic guidelines in my head, say goodbye to my uncle... and pay a visit to my brother and father... Bee made a long series of beeps and whirrs, of which I had no idea what he said.

"Sorry Bee, I can't understand you like Raf...Oh, wait, I just thought of something. From what I knew of you in my dimension, sometimes you would talk with the radio. Can you do that now?" I asked. I understood it was still creepy sometimes to the Autobots when I could rattle of basically their life story, but I did want to know if I could talk to him.

"I...thin-...ah...can..." Jumbled, static filled pieces of songs and news came through the speakers between the words, but I got what he said.

"Nice Bee! You'll have to tell Raf when we get back." I said. "Our first stop is coming up." I said, pulling into town where my uncle owned his garage. I checked the Ipod Miko had given me for the time, and by now my uncle would have been in his shop for several hours. I told Bee to lay low as I pulled to a stop, and he complied, turning his engine off. I opened the door, which swung upward like a Lamborghini, and called for my uncle. He emerged quickly, and relief spread over his face when he saw me.

"Crystal!" he said, running towards me and scooping me up in a bear hug.

"Hey, Uncle Buddy." I said, hugging him back. He grunted and held me at arms length.

"When'd you get so strong? And where have you been my girl, I haven't seen hide nor tail of ya for more than a week!" he said. I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I...can't say. I just came to tell you goodbye, I...have to leave, and I'm not coming back." I said. Buddy looked upset, but he clapped a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sure you got your reasons, I'll miss ya." he said, pulling me close again. I took in his familiar scent of motor oil and grease, smiling, and broke away. I started back towards Bee, and my uncle whistled.

"Where'd you find a ride like that? Looks totally custom." he said. I thought fast.

"Won it in a race. Guy wrecked my Supra in a pink slip race but I still slid over the finish line before him. Gave it to him as a consolation prize." I said with an uneasy smile. My uncle grinned back as I slid into the driver's seat.

"I got a feeling you're lyin', but so long as you didn't steal it I don't give a rip. Good luck to you, I wish you could stay." my uncle said. I nodded as I shut the door, whispering though Buddy couldn't hear.

"So do I..." I said. Bee started his engine and I waved at my uncle before I pulled out onto the main road again.

"He see-med...nice. Wher- we goin'...now-?" Bee said over the radio, obviously not attuned to using it as much as the version of him I'd seen in movies.

"He is, very. He's more like a father to me than my real one. And that's where we're going right now. My old house... I'm going to wrap up some things and grab a little bit of my stuff so Miko can quit bringing me clothes and she can have her Ipod back." I said, driving to my old house. My dad and my brother's cars were in the drive, and I pulled Bee in behind them. I got out, patting his hood.

"Whatever you do, no matter what you hear, STAY here and keep your cover, okay?" I said. Bee whirred in answer, shutting off his engine once more. I steeled myself, then went to the front door and opened it boldly, letting it close with a bang behind me. I could see my dad at the kitchen table, hunched over a bottle of beer. I glared, striding to him. He saw me, getting unsteadily to his feet.

"Where the hell have you been! Huh? Do I got to teach you another lesson so you won't run away?!" my dad shouted, reaching for me. I ducked away, my expression now level. Rage twisted his face quickly, and he drew back to backhand me like he had so many times before. Lightning fast, like I only could achieve since my transformation, I caught his wrist before he could strike me and twisted his arm around behind his back, shoving him up against he kitchen wall. He grunted in pain, and I realized how easily I could hurt someone with my new strength.

"Boy! Get your sorry butt in here and help me!" my dad said. I jerked upwards, popping his shoulder out of joint, and let him slip to the floor groaning as my brother appeared. He flicked out his switchblade and moved towards me.

"Hey sis. Wanna play a game?" he said. I smirked.

"Sure." I said, striking like a snake and getting his knife. I folded it quickly and tossed it under the stove, just in time to make sure my brother's face earned a solid connection with my fist. He crumpled, holding his jaw, and I saw two teeth lying on the linoleum. My brother looked up and suddenly looked horrified.

"Dad, no!" he said. I didn't have time to turn around before a sensation like a papercut slashed across my middle back, followed by a sensation of something grating and the horrid screech of metal. I whirled to see my dad holding a carving knife, which was stained blue instead of red. I also knew I'd have a small cut in my skin, but there was no way the blade went through the armor I had just under the surface. I knocked him back into the cabinets, took the knife, and tossed it in the trash after I wiped it clean on my pants. I pinned him by the jaw, looking him square in the eye.

"Your days of torturing me are _over_, do you hear me? You'll be happy to know I'm leaving and not coming back, if you'd be so kind to let me get my things I'll be out of here for good." I said. My dad was somewhat shaking.

"Wh-what are you?" he asked, I knew he was referring to how his plan of stabbing me had failed.

"Your worst nightmare. Now stay here or else. And by the way...," I said, releasing him and standing. I then stamped down hard on his manhood and enjoyed his reaction as he curled in agony and moaned.

"That, is for molesting me when I was ten. Enjoy your pain you drunk bastard." I said. I headed out to my room, looking at my brother, who scrambled backwards.

"When I'm gone, you call the cops and tell them that you were being abused by your dad, that's why your face is messed up. You fought back in defense and won, therefore Dad is messed up. Got it?" I asked. My brother nodded as hard as he could, and I went to my room. I dug my suitcase out of my closet and set it on my bed, packing several outfits, pajamas, and another sweater. I stuck my Ipod from my nightstand into my pocket, zipping up my suitcase and looking around my room one final time. I was more than happy to be leaving.

When I went to the front door, I paused and checked my reflection in the hallway mirror. Dad had tried to stab me right under my shoulder blade, but like I thought, the knife had just made a small cut in my skin and nothing more. It was bleeding, but not much at all. I opened the front door and carried my suitcase out to Bee, running my hand along his roof as I walked behind him.

"Can you pop the trunk for me, please?" I asked. Bee complied, the latch releasing and his trunk lid bouncing up a few inches. I put my stuff in the trunk, climbed back in the drivers seat, and buckled up.

"How much time we got?" I asked.

"-bout...an hour." Bee said. I nodded. We were right on schedule, it took about forty five minutes to reach the woods where I'd wrecked, and another five to get to the portal.

"You remember the way?" I asked. Bee whirred, pulling out onto the road and heading the opposite way as we'd come. I took it as a yes and sat back, letting him drive.

We reached the woods right on time, only having to wait about five minutes before the portal opened. On the other side, Ratchet had a ground bridge waiting. Bee continued on into the base, pulling to a stop and opening his door, popping the trunk at the same time. I got my suitcase out of him as Ratchet walked up.

"So, did you do what you needed to?" he asked. I nodded.

"Yep. And it looks like I'm here to stay, if that's alright." I said. Ratchet flashed a hint of a smile.

"That's perfectly fine. From what you described, I wouldn't want you going back to your family if they were only going to hurt you." he said. I remembered the cut under my shoulder and looked at him sheepishly.

"About that, this isn't serious at all, but you're picky, so..." I said, trailing off and turning around so Ratch could see the wound on the back of my shoulder. He frowned running a scan on me (which since I'd turned internally Cybertronian wasn't that unpleasant anymore) and looking relieved after he'd done it.

"No, it's just a mesh wound, you'll be fine. How exactly did you get it?" he asked. I looked at Bee, who had since transformed.

"It was...my dad. He tried to kill me. Little did he know that I could actually stand up to him now." I said. Ratchet huffed.

"Disgraceful human, he is... Enough of this, I have something to show you." Ratchet said, lowering his hand. I stepped onto it, sitting and pulling my suitcase onto my lap. He took me down one of the hallways leading from the main hangar to a bay that had been unused. The door was large enough for him to enter, and the door automatically slid open. Had I been on the ground, it probably would have startled me when a light was flicked on and all three of the kids yelled "Surprise!"

I looked around the room in awe as Ratchet set me down. It looked as if in the three hours I'd been gone, they turned the unused room into a fully inhabitable area. A bed was standing in the far corner, complete with a nightstand and small radio. A dresser stood near it, a laptop laid neatly on it, and there was also a small bookshelf with a few novels on it. I smiled gratefully, dropping my suitcase.

"Come here, you guys are awesome." I said, holding my arms out. Jack, Miko, and Raf joined me in a group hug as Ratchet stood behind us. I looked around at him behind me, smiling like an idiot.

"It looks like I'm home." I said.

…**...**

**Sorry again for the slowness to update, this chapter was longer and I've been EXTREMELY busy this last week. Hope you liked it! Please, PLEASE, review or PM me with your opinions. Aurrawings out! ^~^**


	8. Chapter 8

~Crystal's POV

I bolted upright in the darkness of my room, gasping. I'd just snapped out of a horrible nightmare, I'd actually been having them for a few days now... And like the other three times it had happened, I briefly considered finding Ratchet for consolation, but again discarded the notion as childish. I laid back down, trying to sleep again.

…...

"Crystal...Crystal!" Bulkhead's voice got through to me after he said it the second time. For some odd reason, I'd been having trouble focusing, and even I had noticed my attitude had changed, but it was as if I was watching myself in third person.

"Hm? Oh, sorry." I replied absently.

"You okay? You look like something's bothering you." Bulkhead said. I shook my head, trying to clear it, and realized I had a splitting headache.

"I don't know...I should probably go see Ratchet, but..." I trailed off. I was drifting out of myself again, I knew it because normally I'd go see Ratch just for the heck of it, but for some reason, a part of me was screaming not to go near the med-bay. I tried to ignore it.

"But what? I think doc should check you out." Bulkhead said, lowering his hand to the floor. I sat down on it, though when he lifted me from the floor, I got an odd sense of vertigo and had to shut my eyes when my head throbbed in pain. Bulkhead set me down on a table and stepped back a bit.

"Crystal? Is something wrong?" Ratchet asked, kneeling down to my level.

"I...I don't know. I have a bad headache and I've been having trouble focusing..." I said, a throb in my skull punctuating my statement. Ratchet ran through the typical tests, finding them all normal, and looked at me quizzically.

"The scans are normal...is there something else?" he asked. I thought, and wondered if my bad nightmares had anything to do with it.

"I...for the last few nights, I've been having unimaginable nightmares...I can't even describe them, only that they felt real enough I almost didn't' believe it when I woke up." I said. Ratchet leaned back.

"Ah, this changes things." Ratchet said, getting to his feet and going to the terminal in his lab.

"What?"

"I suspect a line of bad code is scrambling your processor, most likely a side affect of your transformation. It's moderate at the moment, but if I don't treat it now it could become serious and cause permanent damage. I just have to scan the codes and replace the bad one with a normal line, and that will put it all back to normal." Ratchet said. I was drifting again, though this time, my vision blanked out and I lost all my senses at once.

…...

~Ratchet's POV

"No." I turned at the intensity of Crystal's voice, she'd never spoken like she just had before, especially to me.

"What? Crystal, it's perfectly painless, and I was going to put you under anyway." I assured her. She backed up a few steps on the table where she stood.

"No, I don't...want your help. Stay away from me!" she said. I knew then that Crystal wasn't there anymore, her consciousness was compromised by the bad code, and if I didn't repair it quickly, it could become irreversible or worse, damage vital systems in her processor. I knelt slowly, trying to reason with her, but in her altered state of mind she wouldn't listen.

"Get away from me!" she snapped, leaping off the table and sprinting down one of the hallways.

"Scrap." I cursed, looking over at Bulkhead, who was confused.

"Wait, a line of bad code can do all this to you?" Bulkhead said. I nodded.

"Yes, we have to make sure she doesn't get outside the base and find her quickly. Where are the others?" I asked.

"Bee and Arcee are here, Optimus is out on recon." Bulkhead said. I called the two others over my commlink, explaining, and they both took a hallway to search.

"You do realize finding her is going to be like finding a needle in a haystack?" Arcee said. I knew what she said was true, but I came up with an idea that could possibly work.

"Maybe not. Everyone, adjust your scanners to search for organic life forms rather than an enemy faction, we can find her that way." I said, making the adjustments on my own scanner.

…...

We'd been searching for probably close to twenty minutes when I heard Bee over his commlink saying he'd located Crystal and was going to try and catch her.

"Alright, but don't injure h-" I was saying when I heard a loud crash a few halls down from me. I ran to the noise, astonished at the sight.

Bee was flat on his back, trying to get up, and I just caught a glimpse of Crystal rounding the corner away from us.

"Arcee, she's coming your way." I said.

"Got it." I helped Bee up.

"What happened?" I asked him. He proceeded to tell me that he'd reached for Crystal, and she'd then flipped him onto his back and ran away. She'd gotten much stronger than I'd thought...I called Arcee.

"Be warned, she took down Bee. I fear the bad code is spreading. Get her to my lab as fast as you can, I'll be there in a few moments." I said, disconnecting. "Are you alright?" I asked Bumblebee. He nodded, but said his door wing hurt. I checked it, but found it was minor.

"The joint is just strained, stretch it a bit and it should go back to normal." I said. At that moment, a tortured shriek echoed through the halls and I stood quickly from Bee. Arcee came around the corner that Crystal had ran around, holding the struggling girl in her arms. Crystal wasn't herself anymore, her eyes were dull and she fought like we were trying to kill her, which, in her altered state of mind, she might very well think that. Arcee ran to my lab, me not far behind her, and she pinned Crystal down.

"I'm sorry..." I said to Crystal as I connected a line to the side of her chest and induced stasis on her. She stopped fighting, her body relaxing, and her head lolled to the side as she slipped under. I sighed, and Arcee stepped back away from Crystal.

"Wow, the kid's got fight, and strength. I could barely hold on to her. She'd be invaluable as a scout..." Arcee was saying. I shook my head as I tapped into Crystal's processor.

"Absolutely not. I will not risk her life in the line of fire." I answered. Arcee, I knew, wouldn't willingly put a human in danger, but then again, Crystal wasn't exactly human.

"She took down Bee without a thought, think of what she could do if we trained her and armed her." Arcee said. I shook my head again.

"_No._" I said. Arcee started walking away, though she called over her shoulder.

"Wait a minute, is that _caring_ I hear in your voice? I thought you didn't like humans." she said. I grumbled, muttering an answer when she was gone.

"In general, no. Crystal...Crystal is an exception." I said.

…...

Several hours later, much longer than I'd thought it would take to repair the damage in Crystal's mind, I finished sorting out the bad codes. It worried me, the codes had spread to vital areas of her processor, I could only hope she'd be herself when she woke up. I disconnected the line that was keeping her in stasis, and she groggily forced open her eyes.

"Wha- happened?" she slurred, putting a hand to her head as she tried to wake up.

"That line of bad code turned into an infection that attacked your processor...it was...more severe than I thought." I said. Crystal sat up, looking around as if she was getting her bearings. She wasn't panicking, which was a good sign, and I knelt in front of her.

"Ratchet?" she said.

"Yes?" I said.

"I can't remember..." she trailed off.

"Remember what, Crystal?"

"How I got here. I can't remember where I came from..." she said. I frowned, this wasn't good. It looked as if the virus had attacked the memory portion of her processor.

"You aren't from here, you came from a different dimension, you had an abusive father, is any of this ringing a bell?" I asked. She shook her head, obviously upset. It appeared she couldn't remember anything past about a week ago, after she'd first arrived here. Crystal closed her eyes and pressed her fists to her head, trying her hardest to remember what she knew was there but couldn't access. I lifted her chin gently, checking the reaction of her eyes to a light briefly. I clicked it off when I noticed she had tears welling in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

"Why...why can't I remember?" she choked, the tears now sliding down her cheeks as she looked to me in desperation. I understood she was upset and frustrated, and I told myself no matter what it took, I'd find a way to recover her lost memories.

"It's alright...We'll figure this out..." I said in a soothing tone, sliding her into my hand and standing, bringing her close to me. She leaned against my chest, tears spilling out of her eyes for a few minutes before she managed to compose herself.

…...

When I informed Optimus of the situation later, Crystal had been sitting on the couch on the platform that the kids used. He looked over at her sympathetically, then got her attention.

"Crystal." he said. She swiveled her head towards him, getting off the couch and going to the railing.

"Hey Optimus..." she said, still troubled by her lack of memories. From what I'd tested her on, she remembered all of us, as well as the children, and she remembered what had gone on since she'd been in our dimension, but she remembered nothing of her past or any of the history she'd known about us before she arrived.

"Believe it or not, young one, I understand the frustration and fear you are feeling now." Optimus said. I knew what he was referring to, but Crystal had forgotten.

"All due respect, but how?" she said, resting her chin on her folded arms. Optimus knelt more to her level.

"Because, I have experienced this recently myself. After I used the power of the Matrix of Leadership to defeat Unicron, I reverted back to the state I'd been in before I was a Prime." he said.

"You weren't always a Prime?" she asked.

"That's a story for later. Megatron deceived me, and in my time of confusion, I may have aided the Decepticons in gaining vital information. I recollect none of this, I only know by what my team has been kind enough to inform me in." Optimus replied. Crystal seemed a bit more hopeful after this, and Optimus reassured her.

"I trust that Ratchet, as well as all of us, will do our best to bring back your memories. You are home with us, a part of the team as much as Arcee or Bumblebee, and as such, know that you will not be overlooked in the slightest." Optimus said.

Crystal smiled, giving a small nod.

**(AN: READ THE BOLD BELOW! ITS IMPORTANT)**

…**...**

**Seemed like a good place to stop. For those who asked about introducing some D-cons, I'M WORKING ON IT. Most likely you'll see more activity in a chapter or so. As some good news and bad news, I've decided to open back up Ask the Bots, just PM whatever question you'd like me to answer. And for bad news...I'm putting Black Ops on hold until further notice, I am out of ideas completely and want to work on the stories I know I have inspiration for. I hope you all have something to review/PM me about! Aurrawings out! ^~^**


	9. Chapter 9

~Crystal's POV

"Ugh...do I have to?" I complained as Ratchet called me to his lab for the umpteenth time. He'd been trying nearly everything he could think of to recover my memories, though so far nothing had worked.

I went to the railing of the platform where I'd been, crossing my arms over it.

"Do you want to remember?" Ratchet said. I sighed, straightening.

"This is the fifth thing today..." I grumbled, going to his lab. Like I thought, this time didn't do anything to recover my lost memories. Again disappointed, I returned to the platform and dropped on the couch. The kids were here, and had been filled in on the situation, but I was really too upset to enjoy their company.

"Hey...it's gonna be okay." Jack said, putting his arm around my shoulders briefly. I sighed again.

"Come here, girlfriend." Miko said, giving me a hug that normally would've been crushing me but since I'd been changed it didn't bother me. Raf gave an understanding smile, patting my leg. I smiled.

"Thanks guys." I said.

"Oh! I just got an idea!" Miko said. I looked up at her when she stood up in front of me.

"What for? Fun or to get my memory back?" I asked gloomily.

"Hopefully both! Come on." she said, getting me up off the couch. I groaned, but went with her anyway.

"I have a theory..." Miko said, plugging her amp into her guitar and practicing a few strums. "I went through your Ipod, I found one I've been practicing on playing, see if you remember it. Maybe singing can help you remember stuff in the past, like, what happened the day you first heard that song."

"Miko...that's actually a really good idea." Ratchet said, walking into the main hangar. Miko beamed, starting the song.

"It's supposed to be a piano, but I don't have my keyboard here so I can't play it like it's supposed to be." Miko said, strumming a few soft chords. It sounded unfamiliar to me, then my mind was suddenly clouded with images, a day at the library with people I instinctively knew were my old friends, a lavender colored car at night, and most clearly, the lyrics to the song. I was depressed, but I raised my voice enough to sing well.

_You hid your skeletons when I had shown you mine_

_ You woke the devil that I thought you'd left behind_

_ I saw the evidence, the crimson soaking through_

_ Ten thousand promises, ten thousand ways to lose_

_ And you held it all_

_ but you were careless to let it fall_

_ You held it all_

_ and I was by your side, powerless_

Miko picked up the riff in between the verses with a grin. I smiled back, elated that it had actually helped, though I sang the rest of the song.

_I watched you fall apart, it chased you to the end_

_ I'm left with emptiness that words cannot defend_

_ You'll never know what I became because of you_

_ Ten thousand promises, ten thousand ways to lose_

_ You held it all_

_ but you were careless to let it fall_

_ You held it all_

_ and I was by your side, powerless_

_ And you held it all_

_ but you were careless to let it fall_

_ You held it all_

_ and I was by your side, powerless_

_ Powerless..._

_ Powerless..._

I faded out with my voice, and turned to Ratchet.

"It worked!" I said. He seemed hopeful.

"What did you remember?" he asked.

"Not a lot..." I admitted. "But I remembered a day at the library with some people I think were my friends, that's where I found the song. I also remembered a purple car...but I don't know why." I said. Miko piped up.

"You had a purple Supra, remember that? You had to leave it when Knockout dumped that synth-en crud on you." Miko said. I suddenly remembered that, and nodded.

"Yes, I do remember. I remember taking you for a drive too...but I can't remember where I got the car." I said. Ratchet waved his hand.

"No matter, any progress is amazing in your case. As much as I can't believe I'm saying it, I encourage you to spend some time with Miko and see what you can remember through the songs." Ratchet said. I laughed and Miko piped up.

"Ooh! I know! Sleepover tonight at my host parents' house!" Miko said. I tilted my head.

"Are you sure they won't mind?" I asked. Miko waved me off.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure I could walk in with Bulk right behind me and they wouldn't care." Miko said. I shrugged.

"I'm fine with it, as long as Ratch says I can go." I said.

"By all means..." Ratchet said. "Keep your phone with you though." he said. I smirked.

"Yes mother." I said sarcastically. Ratchet huffed, though I saw him with a slight grin as he turned away. Miko looked so excited I thought she would explode, and I raised my eyebrow in question.

"What, haven't you ever had a friend over before?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Nah...I don't have any friends here besides Jack and Raf, and well, the bots. This is gonna be awesome!" Miko said. I smiled, going back to the room that the bots had been kind enough to arrange for me and packing a small overnight bag. I went back out to the main hangar, seeing that Miko was explaining to Bulkhead. He transformed, and Miko waved me over.

"You want me in the back?" I asked.

"You can sit in the driver's seat if you want." Bulkhead said. I shrugged, setting my bag on the console between the front seats as I climbed in.

…...

"Hey, I brought a friend from school." Miko said as she walked into her host parent's house, me sheepishly in tow. I waved, and they introduced themselves after I did. Miko dragged me to her room, which was full of foreign metal bands and quite a few guitars.

"Let's get this party started!" Miko said, picking up an acoustic.

This was going to be a long night...

…**...**

**Sorry again for the speed to update and the short chapter, I've had a block. I do know that I will probably be faster to update from now on, at least I will try... I need more questions for the 'Ask the Bots' story too, PM me whatever you'd like. Please review! Aurrawings out! ^~^**


	10. Chapter 10

**For any that wondered, this fic is currently in between Orion Pax and Operation Bumblebee, but I will get there soon, never fear. Thought I'd try and spice things up this chapter, and I know you guys are itching for some 'Cons, so…Onward!**

…**.**

~Crystal's POV

It was hard to believe, but thanks to Miko, a lot of my memory had been returning. It was getting better too, little things I'd see or hear would now help me remember other things, and a lot of my past before I'd come to be with the Autobots was now restored.

The day after I'd spent the night with Miko (it was a long night, but I have to admit, it was lots of fun to have some girl time with someone fairly close to my age.) I was bored out of my mind and watching Ratchet tap away at his terminal was doing no help. He noticed me where I was perched on the railing to the platform and raised an optic ridge.

"Don't…" he started when I cut him off.

"What, fall? Like it would hurt me anyway, right?" I said with a smile. Ratchet rolled his optics, though good-naturedly.

"Is there something you need?" Ratchet asked. I nodded, but I was unsure of how to word what I wanted to say.

"I want to be a part of the team, and not just like the player that's always benched on the sidelines, I want to help." I said. Ratchet stepped away from his terminal and came up to the railing.

"Crystal, you are helping just by staying here at the base." Ratchet said. I cocked my head.

"Yeah? How?" I asked. Ratchet was silent for a few moments, and I knew he had been hoping I didn't ask that question.

"That's what I thought. Come on Ratch, talk to Optimus about it, please? I heard Arcee trying to convince you I'd be a good scout after I had that line of crap code cleared out of my head." I said. Ratchet looked like he wanted to refuse me, but I gave him the best 'Pleeeeeasse!' look that I could and he sighed again.

"I must be out of my processor… Alright, but before we do _anything_, we're going to have to okay it with Optimus and _if_ he does, you are going to train extensively with all four of the others before I'll even think of letting you run recon by yourself." Ratchet said. I knew I had one of the biggest grins ever, and just to freak Ratchet out a little and show him up, I jumped off the railing to the floor about 25-30 feet below, rolling when I hit the concrete and dusting myself off as I looked back at Ratchet with a smile.

"Warn me when you're going to do that so you don't give me a Spark attack." Ratchet said.

"Can we go talk to Optimus, like, now?" I asked, excited and impatient. I saw Ratchet smile faintly and look behind me.

"Talk to me about what, my young friend?" Optimus' deep voice said from behind me. I turned around and he knelt down more to my level. I had to admit, for being one of the biggest Autobots he could be quiet when he wanted to be.

"I, uh…" I said, suddenly losing my eloquence with words that I'd had with Ratch.

"She means to say, she's expressed to me a will to join our team not just as a friend, but a full Autobot. As reluctant as I am…I believe she has the strength and potential to become able to hold her own, and I admit her size makes her a good candidate for a scout." Ratchet said from behind me. Optimus stood back to his full height, a considering look on his face.

"I believe you are right, old friend. Ordinarily, I would be quick to dismiss this, but after Crystal's transformation she does seem nearly as powerful as one of us. With training, I think she'll be able to run recon by herself in a short time." Optimus said with a small smile. I looked between him and Ratchet from the floor.

"Wait, so is that a yes?" I asked tentatively. Ratchet smiled and Optimus gave a small nod.

"Yes, young one, you are granted full rights as an Autobot and soon I will be trusting you with your own recon missions. First though, you will need training, as we all did when we were younglings." Optimus said, looking out to the main hangar and calling in Bumblebee.

"Bumblebee, as our scout and a strong warrior, I think it is best if you teach Crystal some basic skills before the rest of us give her further instruction." Optimus said. Bee whirred and dipped his head, gesturing for me to follow him. I, elated, did, and Bee led me further into the base than I had wandered by myself and entered a large, warehouse type of a room.

"What's this place?" I said, walking in and looking around to the concrete walls and high ceiling.

"Our training room." Bee surprised me by saying. I realized he had spoken through the radio, he'd definitely gotten good at it.

"Nice. So, what have you got to teach me?"

"Like …said, some basic training." Bee said, unable to find a word for Optimus over the radio. "I'm gonna teach you to defend yourself, and fight back if you have to. Your size doesn't come close to the strength you have, and I think your only danger on the battlefield will be dodging fire and avoiding being picked up. You are strong, but still small, a 'Con could grab you easily." Bee said. I nodded.

"Okay then, teach, show me what I need to know."

…

My time at the base was now far from boring. For probably a solid week now, I'd been training with whoever of the bots had free time from nearly dawn until it was solid black outside short of the moon and stars. I was exhausted at the end of every day, but it was a good feeling. I had more than noticed my far increased stamina, not to mention strength.

Bee had taught me evasive maneuvers, Arcee instructed me in hand to hand combat, though obviously modified it since I was only five and a half feet tall. Bulkhead, of course, taught me about using my strength, and I found that whatever Bulkhead could throw or pick up, I could easily match it. Optimus taught me strategy and how to use my head and my heart in a battle. Sometimes a fight didn't end in a victory, and he explained when it was time to retreat and when to stand and fight. Ratchet was my last teacher before I was allowed on a mission, he gave me a bit of medical advice and then basically reviewed everything that everyone else had taught me. Of course, then he had to go all mother hen on me when we headed out to the ground bridge.

"I'm giving you a commlink so you can call for backup if you have to. If something happens, _do not be a hero_, got it?" Ratchet said. I rolled my eyes, taking the commlink, which looked a lot like an ear bud, and putting it in my ear.

"Got it. Anything else?" I asked. Ratchet nodded, activating the ground bridge.

"Yes, your weapon, and something else." Ratchet said, handing me a future-tech looking gun and kneeling so he could run through the basics of it.

"I kept it simple. There's the trigger, there's the safety, and the thing is always loaded so don't point it at something you don't want to kill." Ratchet said. I nodded, flicking the safety on and tucking it through my belt.

"I can make a holster for that while you're gone. One other thing, you can't get around the landscape as fast as the others and I can, so take this." Ratchet said, handing down a silver, circular disk with a button in the center of it. It fit easily in my palm and I looked up at him in curiosity.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Push the button and find out, I'll explain." Ratchet said with a small smirk. I did, and a light shot out of the device, forming a silhouette before a familiar form took shape. I gasped as a lavender Toyota Supra shimmered into solidity and I stepped over to it, tentatively touching it and expecting my hand to pass through it, though to my surprise my hand met solid metal. I turned quickly to Ratchet, who had a smile on his face.

"Oh my god, how did you do this!?" I said, opening the door and running my hand over the steering wheel.

"It's a holoform, like a hologram, but solid. As long as that device I gave you remains undamaged, your car will appear and remain until you press the button again." Ratchet said. I still thought it was amazing, and Ratchet gestured to the ground bridge.

"That'll send you to an area we've been scouting for a while, we've been picking up a large energon reading but so far we haven't been able to locate its source. Good luck." Ratchet said. I gave a small nod, getting in the car and gunning it through the ground bridge.

On the other side, I was confronted by a woods, though the spaces between the trees were more than wide enough to permit the passage of my car. Smiling, I went to work scanning the area.

…

A good hour later, I had gone deep enough in the forest I had to leave my car's holoform and deactivate it before I continued on foot. Soon, I felt something odd, like something was drawing me in a direction I hadn't been heading before. Curious, I followed it, the feeling getting stronger and acting as my guide. It led me to a cave in the side of a rise, and I tilted my head, calling Ratchet.

"Hey Ratch, when any of you guys checked this place out, did you find a cave?" I asked. Ratchet called back quickly.

"No…not as far as I know." Ratchet said.

"I'm gonna check it out, I've got a good feeling what we've been looking for is in there somewhere. I'll call you if I find anything." I said. Ratchet affirmed, disconnecting, and I headed into the cave. I expected to need a light, but evidently that was taken care of by my changed body as well. Normally my eyes gave off a faint light like the Autobot's optics, and in the cave I found that I could see as easily as it were daylight, there were just longer shadows. Still following the feeling, I ran into the end of the cave and searched thoroughly, the pulling feeling stronger than ever when I came to a small crack in the cave wall.

I squinted into it, and just caught a glimpse of an iridescent blue crystal beyond the layer of rock. Bingo. I called Ratchet back, happy that my first mission was a success.

"Hey, good news! I found an energon deposit…and something else…I think I have the ability to detect it too…" I said.

"That's wonderful, I'm sending a bridge, Arcee and Bulkhead are coming to help bring it back. Nicely done Crystal. As for your ability, we will explore it's capabilities soon." Ratchet said. Before he even disconnected, a bridge opened inside the cave.

"Wow, that was fast." I commented over the commlink. Ratchet answered, though his voice sounded grave and somewhat desperate.

"Crystal, that's not ours! Get out of there now!" he called. My chest tightened, panic rising as I told him I couldn't, the enemy bridge was blocking the way out.

As I backed from the green, swirling portal, it shimmered with someone about to come through. I fumbled with my gun and flicked the safety off as I took a shooting stance. I paled though, when a giant silver 'Con stepped through the bridge, a troop of dark colored bots behind him that all looked the same.

The silver mech sneered at me, exposing a mouth full of sharp teeth.

"Well, this must be Knockout's little failed science experiment. Looks like you've got some bearings, insect, pointing a gun at me." I wracked my brain for what his name was, and cursed myself when I realized it could only be Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons.

"Damn straight." I said, squeezing the trigger repeatedly. Megatron ducked aside with a speed I didn't think possible for someone of his size, though his troops weren't so fortunate and a few of them staggered with gaping wounds in their armor. I got off a few more shots at Megatron before he, with his unnatural speed, knocked my gun out of my hand.

I backed away, my Spark hammering, and Megatron smirked.

"Now…to crush you like the bug you are." he said, raising his foot and bringing it down over me. I let a small smirk of my own cross my face, and then stopped his foot easily, shoving it backward.

"Who you calling a failure?" I said, darting forward and smashing my fist into his foot. My hand sunk far into his thick metal armor and he snatched his foot back, a dark look on his face. I knew the wound would only enrage him, but at this point I was in waaay over my head.

"It appears Knockout has some research to do. I tire of this, insect." Megatron said. He snatched me from the ground, pinning my arms to my sides in a grip strong enough it pained my reinforced body. He turned to his troops, pointing at the wall I'd just been at.

"I want this being mined before I return, any injured may return but repairs will be delayed." Megatron said, turning with me in his grip and walking through the ground bridge. A few troops followed, holding wounds given to them by my blaster. On the other side, I stopped squirming merely out of fear.

I was on the Decepticon warship.

Megatron walked down a few halls before I kept up my struggles, fighting like I was possessed though there was nothing I could do. The leader of my enemies walked through a door that slid open when he approached it, and inside was a setup that chilled me.

Hospitals had always freaked me out, but it was worse when your 'doctor' was a certain cherry red 'con with questionable medical training. Knockout looked our way when we entered, recognition spreading on his face when he saw me.

Megatron dropped me on a table in the center of the room, pinning me with one hand as he looked at Knockout.

"Lord Megatron, to what do I owe your appearance?" Knockout said with a cocky smirk.

"I trust you remember this young femme. It also appears your experiment wasn't a total failure. Her strength is extraordinary for someone of her size and she managed to give me the dent in my foot…I want her examined thoroughly, call Soundwave to record your findings as you work. And Knockout…" Megatron said, his cold gaze locked on Knockout's.

"Yes, my liege?" Knockout said.

"I want her alive. Should she die or be harmed more than necessary you will answer to me." Megatron said, lifting his hand. Before I could scramble to my feet, Knockout's clawed hand slammed me back to the table.

"Of course, Lord Megatron." the medic said in his smooth tone. After Megatron had left, Knockout reached over to a console and programmed something while still holding me down. Suddenly, a tight pressure snapped over my wrists and ankles and Knockout released me. I couldn't move, however, I was cuffed to the table.

"Well…this should be fun." Knockout said, pressing another button on the console. He hummed a bit sadistically as he gathered tools from around the room, most of them sharp, and laid them all on a tray, making sure I saw.

"What did he mean by 'thorough examination?'" I asked, glaring. Knockout smirked.

"Oh, just a full exploration of your internal structure." he answered, examining a scalpel. I paled, and my attention was drawn to the door when it opened again. A tall, purple and black mech stepped through and Knockout smiled in fake welcome.

"Ah, Soundwave. It looks like we can get started." Knockout said. I struggled and screamed and shouted every insult I could remember, but the medic still snapped a stasis line to me.

"Night, night." Knockout said, waving as he pulled a lever. I couldn't fight the inducement, and I crashed under the black wave of unconsciousness, more scared than I'd ever been in my life.

...

~3rd person

Knockout smirked as the small female on the table lost her fight quickly and her eyes rolled back in her head. He waved a hand in front of her face to see if she was truly out before he turned to Soundwave.

"You recording?" Knockout asked the always silent mech. Soundwave gave an almost imperceptible nod and Knockout gave his trademark smirk again, picking up a scalpel and placing it against Crystal's skin. With a slight increase in pressure, it sunk through and Knockout noted that energon, and not a human's blood, welled around the wound. Also surprising to him, his scalpel grated against metal after he'd gotten through her skin.

"Well, well…that's interesting. Let's see what else our little friend here has to offer…" Knockout said, digging in the scalpel and slicing boldly down the length of Crystal's body.

…**..**

**Crap for Crystal DX! Hope you enjoyed, tell me what you think. Aurrawings out! ^~^**


	11. Chapter 11

~3rd person

Ratchet worked furiously to get a ground bridge to Crystal's coordinates after she said someone else's had trapped her in the cave where she had been scouting for energon. Something was blocking their ground bridge, though, he couldn't open it.

The others had rendezvoused at the main hangar as soon as they heard that Crystal was in trouble, and Optimus ordered Bumblebee and Arcee to accompany him in a rescue attempt when Ratchet could get the ground bridge open.

The strange block suddenly disappeared and Ratchet pulled the lever to the ground bridge, watching worriedly as the three appointed to collect Crystal sped through.

On the other side, a mouth to a cave was visible, and the ceiling was high enough for even Optimus to proceed. The Vehicons that, unbeknownst to them, had been left to mine suddenly opened fire. Surprised by this and in the confines of the cave, Arcee was hit and even Optimus was clipped in the chest. Nevertheless, they eradicated the few drones quickly and then swept the area for Crystal. Arcee found signs on the wall that blaster fire other than from the skirmish they'd just had had hit there. She called Optimus over and noticed when she did that there was also drying energon on the cave floor, it couldn't have come from the skirmish either.

Optimus examined the blaster marks and energon himself, looking gravely at Arcee. It was then that Bee whirred and beeped in a combination of excitement and sadness. He walked over to Optimus and Arcee, holding something out in his hand. In it was Crystal's blaster and the device that brought up her car's holoform. Optimus frowned deeply.

"The cons took her…" Bee whirred. Arcee looked around at the blaster fire and enrgon.

"Yeah, but she sure didn't go without a fight." Arcee said. Optimus looked at both of his soldiers, worry evident on his f ace.

"We will alert Ratchet we need a ground bridge, and I will inform him on what has happened. With no way to track the Decepticon warship, as that is where she was likely taken, we can only pray that she is resourceful enough to find her way back or that Ratchet can locate her." Optimus said.

~Crystal's POV

I was forced to succumb to unconsciousness when Knockout induced stasis on me, and I returned to the waking world groggily, though it seemed like I was only out for a minute or two. I tried sitting up, noting that I only had one foot cuffed to the table where I lay. My gaze was unfocused and the room spun, and I cursed Knockout silently. Either his equipment wasn't nearly as good as Ratchet's or he just didn't care about me. Probably a combination of both.

I blinked repeatedly, trying to focus my gaze, and let out a small yelp of surprise when I registered Knockout's red helm hovering over me. He smirked.

"Rise and shine!" he said, straightening and putting a hand on his hip.

"Get fragged." I snapped back. I noticed I wasn't wearing the same shirt (a purple and black striped midriff) as I was when I was kidnapped. I was somehow now clothed in a baggy white T-shirt. Frowning, I pushed myself up in a sitting position, or rather, I tried to. As soon as I tried to haul myself up, a stabbing pain flared from the base of my throat to my lower abdomen. Again, I yelped, but this time in pain.

"Scrap! What did you do to me?" I said, flopping flat on my back. Knockout smirked again.

"Exactly what I said, a full examination of your internal structure. And Megatron, I'm sure, will be pleased with the results." the cocky red mech said. I glared, subtly testing the strength of the cuff on my foot. I silently cursed when I knew I couldn't break it, and then forced myself to sit up. I winced, feeling something rip in my midsection, and Knockout noticed my expression.

"Ah, ah, ah, I wouldn't." he said, shaking a finger. "Not unless you want to permanently damage your internal systems."

I glared, then examined myself and cursed under my breath when I saw a blot of energon staining my shirt and spreading. I located the source in my upper abdomen, and also discovered that I had an autopsy style set of stitches running from both my shoulders and converging into one line in the center of my chest before they ran down my stomach. My left arm and right leg also had a few incisions in them, though the smaller wounds appeared to be cauterized.

Knockout gestured to the seeping wound on my abdomen where I'd torn my stitches.

"Would you like some help with that?" he asked. I put as much grit and darkness into my tone as I could.

"Not from you I don't. Get the hell away from me." I growled, hugging the one knee I could to my chest and resting my chin on it. Knockout shrugged and tossed his tools (or instruments of torture, depending on how they were being used) into a container with a loud clatter before he left the medical bay, leaving me alone.

Now was when I think it started to seep in that I truly was alone. The Autobots couldn't track me on the ship, I was injured, and I had no way out. I felt tears creeping up behind my eyes and fought them back, blinking hard. I thought of Ratchet, who would be freaking out beyond belief. I had really developed a fondness for the medic, and I knew he had for me as well, for some reason we just seemed to click as good friends and I couldn't help but get the feeling he might wish it was more. I suddenly remembered a song I'd heard a long time ago, and though I had no music and felt more hopeless than ever, I took a deep breath and raised my voice to sing.

_Lost in the darknes_

_Hoping for a sign_

_Instead there's only silence,_

_Can't you hear my screams?_

_Never stop hoping, need to know where you are._

_But one thing's for sure, you're always in my heart._

_I'll find you somewhere, I'll keep on trying_

_Until my dying day._

_I just need to know, whatever has happened_

_The truth will free my soul_

_Lost in the darkness, _

_Tryin to find your way home_

_I want to embrace you,_

_And never let you go…_

_Never stop searching, need to know where you are_

_But one thing's for sure, you're always in my heart._

_I'll find you somewhere, I'll keep on trying_

_Until my dying day_

_I just need to know, whatever has happened_

_The truth will free my soul_

_Wherever you are, I won't stop searching-_

I cut off in the middle of the verse when the door to the med bay slid open, and I tensed, expecting Knockout. I relaxed a fraction when I registered the paint job as blue and not red, though it took me a moment to remember the new mech's name.

"Breakdown?" I tested the name. The mech looked at me, and I couldn't help but notice the patch he had over one eye.

"Yeah." he answered and pulled a few tools out of a storage area. I looked over at the door again when it opened and a couple of the Vehicons I'd wounded earlier shuffled in, one of them limping heavily from a wound I'd given him in the thigh. One shot me what I thought was the equivalent of a glare before he lined up next to his comrades.

"Where's Doc Knock?" I asked. Breakdown let a hint of a grin show in his face.

"I wouldn't call him that if I were you. And Megatron requested him. Something about pounding out a dent in his foot?" Breakdown answered. I cracked up laughing, I couldn't help it, and the Vehicons all looked at me like I was insane. "What, do you know anything about that?" Breakdown asked, starting to patch up the Vehicons. I nodded, composing myself.

"Yeah, I know about that." I said, examining my hand, the one I'd punched Megatron with. Breakdown saw the split skin on my knuckles and chuckled.

"You've got some brass bearings, for a human that is." Breakdown said. I smirked. If it wasn't for the fact that he was a Decepticon, I might have let him grow on me. What I did know was that I had to get out of here, and fast.

…**..**

**Sorry for shorter chapter and long time to update, I just hit a writer's block/ I was lazy. Please review with what you think and I will try to update my other stories. Aurrawings out! ^~^**


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